Made in Canada – Why Choose a Canadian Awards Manufacturer?

Over the past few months, we have seen gas prices drop. When was the last time you saw gas at 94.5 cents a liter? Sorry to our American friends… we are talking in metric today.

When thinking about why to choose a Canadian awards manufacturer, shipping issues are one of the key reasons why it is a good idea to support local manufacturing. Even though pricing of oil is dropping, I am going to go out on a limb and say that shipping is still going to be an issue for purchasing offshore.

So much has changed, lifestyle-wise, in the past 50 years of Clearmount’s existence. People live a considerably more disposable lifestyle: clothes, furniture, and even homes are something people change much more frequently than they used to. Over time, buyers have strayed from purchasing from local businesses in favor of cheaper imported goods. But after many years of disappointment in the quality and longevity of these less expensive goods, we find ourselves turning back to the classic hand-crafted, quality products our parents and grandparents so valued.

What does “Made in Canada” really mean?

In 2014, the Canadian government advised they would be creating a steering committee to look at creating a brand for “Made in Canada” products. Other countries have created a competitive advantage for their respective countries by fashioning a national brand and then capitalizing on it for their manufacturers. Canada does not have a commonly recognized “Canadian Brand”. We are missing an opportunity to promote our Canadian manufacturers and products. The qualities of Canadian products are acknowledged across the country, continent and the world. Crafting a “Made in Canada” brand is a powerful marketing tool that encourages consumers in Canada and internationally to choose our products.

Not everyone can make the “Made in Canada” claim. The Competition Bureau prohibits Canadian manufacturers or producers from making false claims about their products. Products that claim to be “Made in Canada” must have its finishing done in Canada and 51% of the production costs must be incurred here. To be considered a “Product of Canada” means that 98% of the costs of producing the goods happened in Canada. Clearmount’s raw materials are produced in the US but everything from the casting, cutting and finishing are hand-done in our factory in Toronto.

Benefits of buying “Made in Canada” products

There are many benefits in buying Canadian manufactured goods. As consumers, we should support our economy which helps build our tax base and encourages employers to hire more. Faster turnaround on manufacturing products from awards to apparel allows for consumers to engage with manufacturers in real-time. Then there are the moral issues of buying products in other countries which we have all seen in the news in recent years: child labour, unsafe working environments, generally poor working conditions, and product compliance laws  We have seen this as recently as 2012 with the factory fire tragedy in Bangladesh. As consumers, we really do not understand what is happening in the manufacturing process in other countries and we should consider that when making foreign purchases.

Buying local is now related to certain desirable values, no matter where you come from; values such as sustainability, quality, fairness and a sense of community. Clearmount is a family owned and operated business but we’ve never looked at it as just the Plummer family; all our employees have been part of Clearmount’s growth. Many of them have been with us for over 20 years. Supporting a Canadian business means that you’re also supporting many Canadian families.

There are also many side benefits to buying from a small local factory like ours. Customs and shipping can be far more economical and much less complicated, with overnights and same day delivery offered in many areas. With that, you have the added personal win of being more environmentally sound because the fuels being used to ship our goods are considerably less than our overseas competitors. Add to that the knowledge our employees are working in a clean and safe environment will guarantee you won’t lose sleep over any moral trade-offs you might otherwise have had to make to get your company’s corporate awards.

Clearmount has spent more than 50 years creating beautiful custom acrylic awards in Canada. We’ve never sacrificed quality or craftsmanship and yet we’ve remained affordable for our customers. We believe in the “Made in Canada” sentiment because we feel strongly that buying from Canadian manufacturers benefits the purchaser and the community.

We encourage our clients to visit our showroom and manufacturing facilities so they can see how we create the custom acrylic awards we manufacturer right here in Toronto. There is always someone to work with you through your process, explain what can be done, and take you on a tour of our production floor. See first hand how a long-time Canadian manufacturer works and you’ll see why choosing a Canadian awards manufacturer is a great option the next time you are looking for awards and recognition products.